The No. 10 William Smith rowing team opened the spring portion of its schedule on the Cayuga Inlet today. The Herons competed against the No. 4 host Bombers, No. 5 RIT and Mercyhurst, which is receiving votes in the CRCA/USRowing Division II poll.
 
"We definitely came out flat against Ithaca in the morning in both the 1 and 2V," said Head Coach Sandra Chu. "We did not race at all to the level that I had expected and that is disappointing.  The 1V, however, really turned it around in the afternoon and had the race and results they are more than capable of.  It was not an easy bounce but they dug in to achieve it."
 
The Heron varsity eight powered by sophomore Elisabeth Rowedder, sophomore Anna Moreau, sophomore Annika Linden, senior Elizabeth Warren, first-year Sarah Laferrera, senior Jennifer Sullivan, first-year Molly Dexter, sophomore Emma Lubrano, and first-year Taryn Wenberg, finished its first race behind the Bombers. William Smith logged a time of 6:58.56, while Ithaca crossed the line in 6:46.03. In its second race of the afternoon, the Herons fell to RIT. The Tigers won with a time of 6:43.5, while William Smith came in at 6:46.6.
 
William Smith's 2V of first-year Susan Hurwitz, first-year Alexandra Deku, senior Nicole Guardino, sophomore Tori Malamas, senior Carey Sevier, sophomore Giulia Acchione, first-year Julia Walters, first-year Gillian Casserly, and sophomore Catherine DiCara, also fell to the host Bombers. The Herons clocked a time of 7:17.7, while Ithaca finished in 7:01.9.
 
In the 3V race, senior Alyssa Deem, Deku, DiCara, Acchione, junior Katie Frohman, junior Madelaine Hamilton, junior Tatiana Loftus, first-year Emma Rosser, and first-year Holly Notartomaso competed for the Herons. One of the William Smith rowers popped an oarlock 300 meters into the race, just outside of the breakage zone. The race could not be called back, and, after sitting dead in the water for 20 seconds, the Herons resumed racing but had lost too much margin. William Smith finished with a time of 7:51.6, while the Ithaca novice boat won with a time of 7:29.8.
 
"Things like this happen in racing," said Chu. "The crew reacted as best it could and came back in hotter than before they stopped--they just didn't have enough time or race course. I was proud of their determination."
 
The Herons will be back in action on Saturday, April 7, when they take on No. 9 Wellesley College, No. 3 Williams College and MIT in Wellesley, Mass.